Best Times to go Fishing in Beaufort

Fall Fishing in Beaufort’s Waters

Fall fishing is always one of my favorite times of the year due to the cool temperatures, hungry fish, and being able to fish for 8-hour days.

September, October, and November have always been my 3 favorite months to fish. As the air and water temperature starts to cool down, the fishing starts to heat up.

With lots of fiddlers and shrimp roaming around the shallows the redfish, trout, and flounder turn onto feeding mode getting ready for a long cold winter.

Sight fishing is among the most exciting fall season fishing scenarios.

The fall months create a variety of ways we can sight fish. From tailing redfish on the flood tides all the way to big schools busting shrimp during the low tides, fall fishing can produce some super visual days on the water.

Watching a school of 60 Redfish tailing, chasing shrimp, and cruising up and down the mud flats cannot be beaten.

Light tackle fishing is always productive with live shrimp and artificial. Using artificial, topwater, and live bait while fishing rising and falling tides provides plenty of high number days.

This time of year the sea trout population is in full swing with plenty of 30-40 fish days.

My personal favorite is fly fishing for tailing redfish on the incoming tide then shooting birds, then fishtailing redfish on the falling tide. You cannot beat the Lowcountry Cast N Blast.

Beaufort Redfish Fishing in the Winter

What I love the most about the wintertime is when the weather is right, the fishing can be incredible.

Huge schools of 100-200 redfish swimming around in gin clear water make sight fishing one of the best ways to target them during winter.

You cannot beat watching a school of 100 Redfish fight over your fly or artificial in a mere 8 inches of water.

As much as I love winter fishing the weather can be very tough. I usually end up canceling more days than actually fishing that time of year because of the wind.

Springtime Fishing in Beaufort

Spring has a lot to do with warming water, bait moving in, Cobia cruising the river, and most of all bringing out the shorts and flip-flops again!

It is amazing seeing the Lowcountry come back alive and always one of my favorite seasons of the year to fish.

One thing I love about the months of April, May, and June is our unique inshore fishery for Cobia. Really hard to beat the feeling of throwing a fly in front of a cruising Cobia a few hundred yards away from a Redfish flat.

Of course, red fishing is great with light tackle and fly as well. Lots of action on the low tides and flood tides.

What I love about light tackle fishing with our pick of trout rods is that it provides an easy way for people to target redfish in the spring.

Beaufort Fishing in Summer Season

Summer reminds me of why I love my job so much and why I decided to pursue my career here in my home waters of Beaufort, SC. The constant smiles and memories are what it is all about.

When Fly Fishing we focus on very early morning tides, starting as early as 6 am some days to stay out of the heat, and get the best action of the day. Full-day trips on the fly are fewer due to the hot weather.

Low tides provide some insane action with schools of fish popping shrimp in a few inches of water. The flood tides are great with lots of fish focusing on fiddlers in the short spartina flats tailing around in just a few inches of water.

Tarpon fishing is great and even a few late-season Cobia around to chew feathers as well.

With the hot/ muddy water and tons of bait around it can sometimes be tough in the summer to get a good bite.

One thing I love to use during July and August is cut Mullet. Absolutely the best bait and very successful during the really hot months. Redfish simply cannot say no to a juicy fresh piece of cut mullet.

Fly Fishing for Redfish in the Lowcountry

You can join Capt. Owen for your own experience on the beautiful waters of Beaufort, Hilton Head Island, and Fripp Island South Carolina.

You can target Redfish, Speckled Sea Trout, Cobia, Tarpon, Flounder, Spanish Mackerel, and many other species on Fly, and light tackle!

You can fish in mere inches of water sight casting to big schools of Redfish on the low tide. You can also tail fish on the flood tide, and cruise Cobia in the spring.

Fly Fishing for Redfish in the Lowcountry

As an Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing guide, he takes great pride in providing the best experience possible for anglers.

Capt. Owen Plair owns a custom-built Maverick HPX-S.

Full Kevlar hull only weighing 1,050 lbs with the engine, smooth dry ride, and sub 6-inch draft. It never limits your ability as an angler on the shallow water flats of the Lowcountry.

Experience for yourself the comfort and performance of the Maverick HPX-S.

It has redefined the technical poling skiff and the ultimate fly fishing skiff in Lowcountry.

The footprint of this boat is very small. It gives you the advantage of skinny water. It’s not only as quiet as a hull can be, but pushes almost no water while poling a flat.

The small footprint allows you to get a lot closer to fish than most skiffs. It allows for better fishing and an easier cast. If you look at the skiff in person on the trailer you can see how sharp the S is at the nose of the boat, almost like a knife.

The other great thing about its hull design is riding in rough water. It has a large flare to the bow which keeps you dryer than any other 17.8, 6-inch draft boat on the market.

You can go days running in a true 2ft chop aboard, and get home completely dry.

The HPX-S is a little tippy compared to other skiffs. But that is a sacrifice you take to stay dry and have a better poling skiff.

Many anglers over the age of 50, some as old as 75, have no complaints about the boat being tippy. That is very important and proves that the S is a comfortable boat to fish.

Charter Rates

  • 1/2 Day 4 Hours – $450.00
  • 3/4 Day 6 Hours – $550.00
  • Full-Day 8 Hours – $650.00

The price includes 2 people. Any extra person is $50.00 and can carry up to 5 people.

Fly Fishing Gear & Equipment

All fly fishing tackle and equipment are provided for your trip, including an SC fishing license. If you want to bring your own gear, you can check out the best fly rods under 200 reviews to help you pick the right fly fishing rod for your trip. Water and Ice are provided as well. Feel free to bring any other drinks, or snacks along.

Things to Bring

  • Hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Sun Lotion
  • Camera
  • Non-marking shoes

Be ready to catch some fish!

Contact

Capt. Owen Plair · (843) 812-3656

Beaufort SC Fishing Charters

Beaufort, SC 29902

Testimonials

“Fishing with Owen is special. He knows how to put you on fish and keeps you wanting to come back. Try him out if you haven’t already.” Client from Atlanta, GA- Scott Hinchmen.

“Had the pleasure of meeting and fishing with Capt Owen Plair this past spring with my buddy Brian. What an awesome day on the Broad river. Owen is young and full of energy but mature beyond his years. He put us on reds in the flats and my favorite topwater trout. One trout I will never forget was almost 6 lbs. Great guide and an awesome location can’t go wrong” Client from Charleston, SC- Marin Toporek.

“Been fishing with Owen for a few years now. Always an amazing time, very accommodating to all skill levels, and extremely knowledgeable. No trip to the low country is complete without a guided trip with Owen!” Client- Tyler Rutherford

“I highly recommend Capt. Owen Plair in Beaufort, SC. Tons of fish, few boats, beautiful marshes, and a guide who will pole to the horizon and back! Excellent equipment and instruction as well. Can’t wait to get back to the quiet corner of the Lowcountry!” Writer/Professor/Client- Michael Steinberg.

“Owen is responsible for showing me my first career Redfish on a fly. I’ve been out with Owen on a countless number of occasions and every time, I have a day to remember.” – Orvis Endorsed Guide of the year 2014 Johnson City, Tenessee Patrick Fulkrod.

“Owen was the kind of guide you want in a situation like this. He grew up fishing the area and was some kind of savant, owning his first boat at 8 years old. He knew this water as well as it can be known. Additionally, he was a great guy and fun to be around, which was a real plus given the long periods of poling. He worked hard to keep us on fish and succeeded sporadically.” Client from Souix Falls, SD- Dan Fraiser.

“Thanks, Owen! That was definitely the best guided trip I have taken since my Fly Fishing in South Louisiana trip. I’ll definitely be back in touch next time I’m in Beaufort. I’m still smiling about the fish you put me on.”

“Thanks for an outstanding evening in the Low Country, and, once again, for guiding me to many opportunities at tailing fish. Next time I will be better prepared to provide more hookups. It is possible we will be back again for Thanksgiving, but if not, then a cobia trip for sure in the late spring. I absolutely can’t wait to be back.” Client from Birmingham, Al- Rich Vanchina.

“Had the pleasure of getting on the bow of Owen’s Maverick HPX-S this past November. First of all, what an incredible fishery in Beaufort. I was impressed by the populations of redfish, the incredible schools, and the sight fishing opportunities they presented. Owen is a very knowledgeable, and very hard-working guide. We had tough visibility on the day we were out, and he continually moved us, and located fish, resulting in multiple hookups and fish to the boat. Thank you Owen, and can’t wait to get back up to do it again.” Client from Florida- Jon Roberson.

“I fished with Capt. Owen Plair this past Fall and he guided me to an epic couple of days of tailing redfish in the flood tide grass. This dude definitely guides these waters and guides them well… Capt. Owen is at the top of my list for any guide you are looking to book in Beaufort.” Captain Honson Lau from Miami, FL.v